Hernandez thanks Leeds United fans for support after signing new deal

Player of the year candidate Pablo Hernandez has signed a new two-year deal to stay with Leeds United.

The Spanish playmaker has been the most consistent of the Whites’ forward thinking players this season and fans have been calling for him to be signed up in the past month with his contract set to run out at the end of the campaign.

He has now put pen to paper on a two-year deal to stay at Elland Road until 2020 with head coach Paul Heckingbottom pleased to have him as part of his squad down the track.

Hernandez has made 42 appearances this season, scoring nine goals and coming up with eight assists. He has also captained the Whites on numerous occasions.

The 33-year-old is one of the oldest members of United’s squad, but has proved to be one of the best signings of the last two years, having played 80 games and netting 15 times.

He made his breakthrough at Valencia and has also played for Getafe, Swansea and Qatar side Al-Arabi while winning four caps for Spain.

He is delighted to be staying at Leeds and thanked the fans for their support.

“I’ve always said my first option was to always stay at Leeds because I am very happy here,” Hernandez told the United website.

“It was an easy decision for me to make, this is a big club with unbelievable fans and an unbelievable history.

“The fans always support me and this support is very important, I really like the fans and they made this decision even easier for me.

“Coming to the end of my contract, I had some options to go elsewhere in England or back home to Spain, but for me, I wanted to stay here.

“I am one of the oldest players in the squad, but I still feel like I did when I was 25 or 26.

“Obviously the speed is not the same, but to play football, players need passion and to give 100 per cent in every game and I always try to do this.